A method of patterning a thin film is described. The method comprises forming a thin film to be patterned on a substrate, forming a developable organic planarization layer (OPL) on the thin film, forming a developable anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer on the developable OPL, and forming a mask layer on the developable ARC layer. Thereafter, the mask layer, the developable ARC layer and the developable OPL are patterned to form a pattern therein using an imaging and developing process. The imaging and developing process may either partially extend or fully extend into the OPL. Once the mask layer is removed, the pattern is transferred to the underlying thin film using an etching process.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method of patterning a thin film on a substrate, comprising: preparing a film stack on said substrate, said film stack comprising said thin film formed on said substrate, a developable organic planarization layer (OPL) on said thin film, a developable anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer formed on said developable OPL, and a layer of photo-resist formed on said developable ARC layer; imaging said layer of photo-resist, said developable ARC layer and said developable OPL with an image pattern, wherein said imaging said developable OPL comprises partially imaging said developable OPL to a depth less than a thickness of said developable OPL; developing said layer of photo-resist, said developable ARC layer and said developable OPL to said depth without exposing said thin film, to form said image pattern through said layer of photo-resist, through said developable ARC layer and partially into said developable OPL, and completing a transfer of said image pattern by performing an etching process to extend said image pattern from said depth in said developable OPL through the thickness of said developable OPL to expose said thin film.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said etching process is a dry etching process.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: removing said layer of photo-resist following said developing of said image pattern in said developable ARC layer and said developable OPL.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: transferring said image pattern in said developable ARC layer and said developable OPL to said thin film using an etching process.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said transferring comprises performing a wet etching process, or a dry etching process, or a combination thereof.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said preparing said film stack comprises forming a 248 nm photo-resist, a 193 nm photo-resist, a 157 nm photo-resist, or an EUV photo-resist, or a combination of two or more thereof on said developable ARC layer.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said imaging said image pattern comprises imaging an image pattern using a dry lithography system, or a wet lithography system, or both.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said imaging said image pattern comprises imaging an image pattern using a 248 nm photo-lithography system, a 193 nm photo-lithography system, a 157 nm photo-lithography system, or an EUV photo-lithography system, or a combination of two or more thereof.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said preparing said film stack comprises forming said developable ARC layer configured for 248 nm photo-lithography, 193 nm photo-lithography, 157 nm photo-lithography, or EUV photo-lithography.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said preparing said film stack comprises forming a developable OPL configured for 248 nm photo-lithography, 193 nm photo-lithography, 157 nm photo-lithography, or EUV photo-lithography.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said preparing said film stack comprises applying said developable OPL to said thin film using a spin coating system.
12. A method of patterning a thin film on a substrate, comprising: preparing a film stack on said substrate, said film stack comprising said thin film formed on said substrate, a developable organic planarization layer (OPL) on said thin film, a developable anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer formed on said developable OPL, and a layer of photo-resist formed on said developable ARC layer; imaging said layer of photo-resist with an image pattern; imaging said developable ARC layer with said image pattern; fully imaging said developable OPL with said image pattern such that said image pattern extends through a thickness of said developable OPL; developing said layer of photo-resist, said developable ARC layer and said developable OPL, wherein said developing said developable OPL forms said image pattern to a depth less than the thickness of said developable OPL without exposing said thin film, to form said image pattern through said layer of photo-resist, through said developable ARC layer and partially through said developable OPL, and completing a transfer of said image pattern by performing an etching process to extend said image pattern from said depth in said developable OPL through the thickness of said developable OPL to expose said thin film.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said etching process is a d etching process.
14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising: removing said layer of photo-resist following said developing of said image pattern in said developable ARC layer and said developable OPL.
15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising: transferring said image pattern in said developable ARC layer and said developable OPL to said thin film using a wet etching process, a wet lithography process, or a combination thereof.
16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising: transferring said image pattern in said developable ARC layer and said developable OPL to said thin film using a dry etching process, a dry lithography process, or a combination thereof.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein said preparing said film stack comprises forming a 248 nm photo-resist, a 193 nm photo-resist, a 157 nm photo-resist, or an EUV photo-resist, or a combination of two or more thereof on said developable ARC layer.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein said imaging said image pattern comprises imaging an image pattern using a 248 nm photo-lithography system, a 193 nm photo-lithography system, a 157 nm photo-lithography system, or an EUV photo-lithography system, or a combination of two or more thereof.
19. The method of claim 12 , wherein said preparing said film stack comprises forming said developable ARC layer or said developable OPL configured for 248 nm photo-lithography, 193 nm photo-lithography, 157 nm photo-lithography, or EUV photo-lithography.
20. The method of claim 12 , wherein said preparing said film stack comprises applying said developable OPL to said thin film using a spin coating system.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
January 15, 2007
August 3, 2010
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